Craggy Island
| image = | header1 = Team Strip | label1 = | data1 = | header3 = | label3 = | data3 = Immagine:CraggyIslandjersey.png | header4 = Team Information | label4 = | data4 = | header5 = | label5 = City | data5 = Off the west coast.... | header6 = | label6 = Country | data6 = Ireland | header7 = | label7 = Federation | data7 = IFAI | header8 = | label8 = Division | data8 = League of Extraordinary Irishmen | header10 = | label10 = Founded | data10 = 16/11/2008(season 8) by Samuel Entwistle | header11 = | label11 = Manager | data11 = Brian Macrae | header12 = Trophy Cabinet | label12 = | data12 = | header14 = | label14 = Senior Honours | data14 = Irish Cup season 13, Irish B-2 season 8 | header15 = | label15 = Kieran McMupp Trophy | data15 = Held for 109 days(and counting, as of 14/11/10) | header16 = | label16 = U19 Honours | data16 = Irish U19 Championship season 13, Irish Youth League season 11 (twice), Kieran McMupp U19 League season 9 | header17 = Stadium | label17 = | data17 = | header18 = | label18 = Stadium MullingarBorough (40,000 seats) | data18 = Immagine:Craggy_Island_Arena.png }} Craggy Island AFC ---- Craggy Island are an Irish football who currently compete in The League of Extraordinary Irishmen, the club is managed by Brian Macrae. It also runs one of Irelands most successful U19 sides, and has a feeder club, Rugged Island. Team History ---- Season 8 Craggy Island AFC was founded by Samuel Entwistle before the start of season 8, the teams first match was played and won with a handful of loaned in players, within 2 weeks of starting the club had a complete squad and was ready to compete, at this stage club legend Samuel Entwistle decided to hang up his boots and take up the role as club chairman, his second cousin Thomas DAlessandro took his place in the squad and as manager. Star players such as Xuan Fresneda, Tore Uttermar, Liam Barigou, Paulo Rocha and Barnabás Danyi were unearthed by the club. Unsurprisingly they promoted after their first season in Irelands second division extremely comfortably, strolling through all 14 games, and forcing Munster to labour a 1-0 victory in the cup. A strong youth ethos was also developed within the club, with Thomas DAlessandros eyes firmly on the future. Season 9 Craggy Island made 2 big signings in lieu of season 9, Swedish box to box midfielder Håkan Ahlborn and Irish international hard man Cormac Troutt (who's wages were rumoured to be part funded by Dermot Desmond). The club demonstarted it's total football philosophy at the start of the season but couldn't chalk up many points, the club got involved in a relegation scrap with Iron Man and Dynamo Dublin and eventually edged both sides out, finishing 6th. In the midst of the season the club was struggling with it's finances and ended up having to sell two key players Italian centre-back Gioele Vucic and Hungarian striker Barnabás Danyi for a combined fee of almost €250k. Season 10 With Cormac Troutt having left the club to join Kinsale AFC, and Tore Uttermar having returned home to Sweden, Thomas DAlessandro brought in Jelle de Leede and Gregory Novell before the season, and as the season went on the squad was supplemented with the likes of Ke AnSheng, Victor Pelckmans, Alin Andrei Zgriba, Jan Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz and Dominik Berg. The team took a while to gel together and eventually came up with some decent results after a poor start to the season, reaching the cup semi final. But again the club disappointingly finished 6th. Thomas DAlessandro stepped down as the clubs manager, and let Brian Macrae take over, citing personal reasons, signing Finnish star Ubaldino Lammassaari was his final act as manager. This season also marked the departure of Håkan Ahlborn, who was a key member of the club, and is fondly remembered among it's fans. Season 11 Brian had to re-unify the club and stave off relegation, this wasn't helped as eccentric Romanian keeper Alin Andrei Zgriba threw a hissy fit and was forced out of the club, replaced by the more placid and reliable Valentinos Mpouras, who was signed for €250k. Canadian Wayne Carey was also brought in to solve the clubs problems on the left flank, however he proved a flop as he failed to to settle in Ireland. The season again started poorly for the club, but eventually they were in a position to qualify for Europe with 10 days left, however that was not to be as the club again finished 6th, but the clubs progress was continued as they slowly edged closer to the more established sides. Brian secured the contracts of many key players towards the end of the season, bringing hope for a successful campaign to come, sadly club legend Dominik Berg retired from the game after deciding to dedicate more time to being a father, he is often regarded as the greatest player to have donned the red and black of Craggy Island. Season 12 Flying Dutch winger Harmen Masefield and Uruguayan striker Iván Cavani were signed to supplement a strong squad, 5 weeks through the season a new club record of €350,000 was spent on Romanian born Cypriot international defender Teodoro Fantana, who was joined by promising Hong Kong international defender Ma Wenlong, who was snapped up for free. The club broke the 3 season tradition of having a poor start, by beating Wanderers, Kinsale and Rugged Island in it's first 4 games, the win against Wanderers in week 3 earnt the club The Kieran McMupp Trophy for the first time in the clubs history. As the season progressed the solid results continued, including another victory over over Kinsale and 2 vital draws against Wanderers, this proved enough to propel the club to third place which meant Craggy Island had qualified for the Continental League. Brian Macrae also led the team as far as the cup semi final, but this again ended in a heartbreaking loss, this time at the hands of Kinsale. The clubs progress was noted though, and with European football guaranteed for next season the club invested a lot of effort in the transfer market. Season 13 Prior to the start of the season Tine Rupel joined from Rugged Island for what was a club record transfer of 400k, the shock transfer of the season was made when the free-scoring Conor Scott left Munster to join Craggy Island for free during the pre-season, this move sparked an excitement about the club and he was soon followed by Trifon Ivanov, Demis Anthimidis, Danijel Skocibusic and Nils Lafskar. These strong signings resulted in talk of Craggy Island challenging for the league title, and this proved the case, despite a loss against Leinster in the first game of the season by the half way point Craggy Island led the table, an impressive 4-1 victory against Munster stating the clubs ambition. Unfortunately the club again lost to Leinster, and a draw against Munster wasn't enough as Craggy Island finished second, 2points off the pace set by Munster. The clubs success stretched to the Continental League where the breezed through the first round, winning all 5 games, including an impressive performance against French side BAKA Foot. This form continued in the second round as Craggy Island won 13 points of the available 15, but agonisingly missed out on a place in the last 8 on goal difference to Romanian side Diablo. The best was saved for last however, as Craggy Island lifted the Irish Cup, their first major trophy since the formation of the club. The route to the triumph was not easy as Leinster(thanks to heroics from Demis Anthimidis), Munster and dRUNKEN Rockers had to be dealt with before a finale against Kinsale. This proved a high scoring affair which Craggy Island ran out 3-2 winners in, not only was this the clubs first major trophy but it earnt them a place in Season 14's Cup Winners League. Season 13 was spectacular for one man in particular as Conor Scott managed to score 94 goals and winning 20 man of the match awards in 28 games, this also had him named as the world no.1 player. Sadly Season 13 also was the end of the legendary Fintalian, Ubaldino Lammassaari's career as he decided to retire a champion, he scored 59 goals for Craggy Island. Season 14 The club again repeated it's trick in the transfer market this time signing Irish internationals Rory Sanders, Ciaran Champaneri and Thomas Stewart, as well as world cup finalist Maarten Rosseel. The league started in bizarre fashion with a 5-4 victory over Kinsale, the wins just kept on coming and Brian Macrae recorded his first victory over Luke Andrews Leinster, with an impressive 4-1 win, and the machine kept running as Craggy Island overcame Munster 3-1, by the half way stage Craggy Island led the table by 6pts with a maximum 21pts. *Ireland started in season 2, so season 14 is actually Irelands season 13, global seasons are used here. Youth Team History *Needs Updating Craggy Island U19's were founded in time for the inaugural Irish Youth League, Ligue 1. The team started the season poorly losing the first set of 3 matches, but redeemed itself after gaining 5 points in the last 3 games, this however couldn't prevent the team from finishing fourth out of 4 teams. In the second season the league was renamed the Kieran McMupp U19 League, this time Craggy Island impressed and brought an end to their underdog title in the youth league. The team went unbeaten for much of the season and managed to win the league in the final game. The club failed to defend it's title in the Kieran McMupp Memorial League, finishing second to Munster two seasons in a row, only then to finish second to Kinsale in the presidents league, but the clubs fortunes turned around again, and they won the Irish Youth League and retained it the season after. Their 3 Irish youth league titles is second to, bitter rivals, Munsters 4, Kinsale are the only other U19 side to have won a U19 league. Rugged Island currently acts as Craggy Islands developmental side, bringing in players who are too old for the academy, but not yet ready to make the first team. Ben Varvel started the team in season 11, and they currently play in The League of Extraordinary Irishmen. Craggy Island and Rugged Island play out the All-Priests Five-a-Side Over-75's Indoor Challenge match every season, the losing manager is forced to perform a forfeit (the last forfeit included Ben Varvel having to kick a prominent Welsh moderator in the arse. Players of the Season ---- Season 13 Senior Player of the Season: Conor Scott Season 12 Senior Player of the Season: Paddy Lakin Season 11 Senior Player of the Season: Gregory Novell Season 10 Senior Player of the Season: Liam Barigou Season 9 Senior Player of the Season: Paulo Rocha Season 8 Senior Player of the Season: Barnabás Danyi Season 13 Young Player of the Season: Cillian Adolphus Season 12 Young Player of the Season: Ronan Mulrain Season 11 Young Player of the Season: Dylan Irving Season 10 Young Player of the Season: Brian Macrae Season 9 Young Player of the Season: Brian Macrae Season 8 Young Player of the Season: Alessandro Bullo Team Stats ---- As of the end of Season 13, *only counts competitive games* Senior Records Most Games -1st: Liam Barigou 85, -2nd: Xuan Fresneda 81, -3rd= Jelle de Leede 73, -3rd= Gregory Novell 73, -5th: Jan Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz 68, Top Goalscorers -1st: Conor Scott 94, -2nd: Liam Barigou 75, -3rd: Ubaldino Lammassaari 59, -4th: Barnabás Danyi 43, -5th: Dominik Berg 35, Top Assisters -1st: Jelle de Leede 77, -2nd: Harmen Masefield 37, -3rd: Xuan Fresneda 28, -4th: Liam Barigou 27, -5th= Paulo Rocha 24, -5th= Max Anscom 24, Most Man of the Matches -1st: Conor Scott 21, -2nd: Liam Barigou 6, -3rd: Paddy Lakin 5, -4th= Barnabás Danyi 4, -4th= Jelle de Leede 4, U19 Records Most Games -1st= Craig Kellen 47, -1st= Paddy Casey 47, -3rd: John Maroon 46, -4th:Brandon Trickey 44, -5th= Robert Gariballa 43, -5th=Ben Varvel 43, Top Goalscorer -1st= Thomas DAlessandro 26, -1st= Alex Tempest 26, -3rd: John Maroon 23, -4th: Cillian Adolphus 21, -5th: Ryan Balshaw 10, Top Assisters -1st: Ben Varvel 18, -2nd: Ronan Mulrain 15, -3rd: Brandon Trickey 13, -4th: Brian Macrae 10, -5th: Aimo Capriota 9, Most Man of the Matches -1st= Thomas DAlessandro 7, -1st = Dylan Irving 7, -1st= Ryan Balshaw 7, -4th: Alex Tempest 5, -5th: Silvino Soares 4, Senior Team Stats -Total Games- 113, -Total Wins- 70*, -Total Draws- 9, -Total Losses- 34, -Goals For- 494, -Goals Against- 126, * indicates each win on penalties Youth Team Stats -Total Games- 83, -Total Wins- 49, -Total Draws- 18, -Total Losses- 16, -Goals For- 174, -Goals Against- 67, Record Transfer In: Rory Sanders €400,001 from Yourface United (Ireland) Record Transfer Out: Jesús Sanz €200,000 to St Selcar's (Chile) Senior Squad *needs updating ------------------- Youth Squad Notable Former Players * Dominik Berg * Ke AnSheng * Ubaldino Lammassaari * Barnabás Danyi *Immagine:Ire.pngBen Varvel *Immagine:Ire.pngCormac Troutt *Immagine:Neth.png Jelle de Leede * Paulo Rocha * Silvino Soares * Jesús Sanz * Håkan Ahlborn * Tore Uttermar * Alessandro Bullo Sworn Enemies *Immagine:Ire.pngHugh Joyce